Relationship between NF-κB, MMP-9, and MICA expression in pituitary adenomas reveals a new mechanism of pituitary adenomas immune escape

The aim of this study was to examine the expression levels of NF-κB, MMP-9, and MICA and their relationship between each other in pituitary adenomas as a histological basis for the study of the expression and shedding mechanism of MICA and mechanism of immune escape of pituitary adenomas. Our study indicated that MICA, MMP-9 and NF-κB mRNA and protein levels were more highly expressed in pituitary adenomas than healthy tissues. The expression levels of NF-κB, MMP-9, and MICA were positively related in patients with pituitary adenomas. In conclusion, the activation of NF-κB can up-regulate the expression of MICA and induce the expression of MMP-9, which hydrolyzes MICA into sMICA to promote tumor immune escape. The interactions of NF-κB, MMP-9, and MICA play an important role in the development of pituitary adenomas, and MMP-9 could be used as a new target for inhibiting tumor cell immune escape.